


Friendship on Fire

by Roxygrl803



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Drug Use, M/M, Secret Identity, Superheroes, just pot, lots of cheesy 1D and Larry references, some not very good smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-14
Updated: 2016-04-14
Packaged: 2018-06-02 03:51:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6549433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Roxygrl803/pseuds/Roxygrl803
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Superheroes AU where they're all at college for superheros. Maybe Harry and Louis secretly like each other.</p><p>It probably doesn’t have as much smut as requested but i think it’s a cute little story.</p><p>Thanks for reading and thanks to my wonderful beta for being there for me last minute!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FallingLeave](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FallingLeave/gifts).



March 2016  
The blood in his veins felt like it was turning into lava and anger poured from his mouth.  
  
“Why would you do that,” he screamed. He could feel his eyes welling up, tears ready to spill out as soon as the question had an answer. “I thought we were in this together!”  
  
Zayn looked stunned and stared to back away. He stammered out a reply.  
  
“.I…um…I don’t know. I really don’t. I just can’t be here anymore. It’s time to be _normal_.”  
  
Louis’ tears betrayed him and fell down his cheeks, off of his chin and left a wet spot on his shirt.  
  
“Normal,” he huffed, wiping his angry tears with his sleeve. “There is no more normal for us.” He looked around the expansive studio, devoid of students but filled with practice weaponry and floor to ceiling mirrors so as to watch their technique while training. “This is our new normal.”  
  
“I’m sorry. I just can’t stay.”  
  
Zayn turned and walked out the door. Louis’ tears fell faster and fatter than before. He wasn’t hurt, he was angry. He felt like running after Zayn and shouting “COWARD” in his face. Instead he left the studio and ran the opposite direction, towards the dorms. Nobody was there when he arrived, class was still in session. He could feel the anger building. The anger of having to go through this alone. He thought he had found a best friend. Another hero to spend the next three and a half years with. The red clouds of anger briefly in his mind's eye to reveal Niall and Harry. Okay, okay, phew. He had Niall. Niall was a friend. Harry- Harry on the other hand.  
  
They hadn’t quite found that “roommate groove” yet. Maybe because Louis’ crush couldn’t seem to dissipate. In fact, it seemed to be getting stronger. However, those feelings were not the ones he was grappling with at the moment. The anger was building, building, building. He was about to erupt. The anger was making him actually, physically hot. He reached behind and pulled his hoodie off over his head.  
  
“Fuck, I’m so hot,” He said exasperated.  
  
He kicked off his shoes and pulled off his pants. He stepped out onto the quad in just his boxers. The cool air hit his chest but did nothing to stop the burning within him. He stretched his arms as if he was flying to try and relieve the growing tension in his limbs. It didn’t work. Instead, fire and light shot out of his fingers, toes, and chest. The light lit the grass and the fire singed the shrubs all around him.  
  
“Holy Shit!”  
  
Louis wrapped his arms around his middle and dug his toes into the grass. Thankfully, this motion, along with the new emotion of shock was able to turn him off like a light switch.  
“Well, I guess I have my super power now.”  
  
He ran inside ready to figure out how to turn it back on without raging.


	2. Freshmen

Everything important happened to Harry in Marches. March always seemed to be the month where something big in his life would spring up and say “Hello, welcome to your life. THIS is happening now.” He met his best friend Liam in March. Granted, meeting someone at the age of one doesn’t really count but nevertheless, he and Liam have been inseparable since. March was also the month his dad had died, when he was just six years old. He lost his virginity to a girl named Sara in the beginning of March two years ago and by the end of March that same year, he knew he didn’t want to do that again with another girl.  
  
It was now March 2015 and Harry was standing on his parents patio with Liam. They would be graduating in two months and both of them were looking forward to University in the fall. Of course, that meant March had come up and slapped Harry in the face to remind him he was different and he wouldn’t be going to University with Liam. Now all Harry had to do was tell him.  
  
“So it’s like Hogwarts, except….instead of wizards you’re…..superheroes?” Liam asked, confused.  
  
“Yeah,” Harry said. “Exactly that!”  
  
“So, isn’t it like, a secret? Shouldn’t you NOT be telling me, your “muggle” best friend all this information.”  
  
“Yeah, probably. But that’s why I’m telling you. Because you are my best friend.”  
  
“What about this roommate of yours?” Liam grabbed the admission letter from Harry’s hands. “Louis Tomlinson?”  
  
“What about him?” Harry replied pulling the hair tie off his wrist and putting his long curls into a bun.  
  
“Well, is he going to become your new best superhero friend?”  
  
“Maybe we’ll hate each other.”  
  
“Oh that's a nice thought,” Liam scolded. “Be positive man. Also, your secrets safe with me. But….” Liam paused and scratched the back of his head. “What are you going to tell everyone.”  
  
“A version of the truth. I’m going to do four years at University in America. What I’m specifically studying will remain ambiguous.”  
  
August 2015  
He surveyed the small dorm room. It looked just like the brochure pictures for all the “regular” universities he’d seen of the school. The light beige walls contrasted the dark blue carpet. There were two extra long twin beds on the right side of the room. The left side of the room was flanked with two desks, for actual studying, he supposed. In the back of the room sat a sink and a closet. The jack and jill bathroom was attached to another room that was a mirror image of his own.  
  
Harry threw his bag on one of the beds, claiming it as his own. First freshman in the room gets first dibs. He fixed his hair in the mirror and started to unpack.  
  
The bathroom door swung open. “Hey man,” a blonde guy with an Irish accent said. “I’m Niall. I guess we’re suite mates.”  
  
“I guess so. I’m Harry.”  
  
They shook hands and Niall proceeded to chat while Harry continued to unpack. Eventually they headed to the quad for the freshman mixer.  
  
“It’s weird innit?” Niall pondered as they walked to the middle of campus.  
  
“What is? College?”  
  
“Well, that this is supposed to be superhero school but we’re going to a mixer just like any other new freshman on any other campus in any other state.”  
  
They returned from the mixer an hour later with bags full of brochures, USB’s, condoms and whatever else the clubs and alliances were giving away. Niall left to get some food while Harry stayed behind. He had a quick wank, praying his roommate wouldn’t walk in and then proceeded to unpack his luggage. He threw his comforter haphazardly across his bed in an attempt to seem made.  
  
Suddenly the door swung open, Harry spun around to greet Niall or meet his new roommate, whichever came first and instead he lost is breath. He was staring, he knew he was. He just couldn’t help it. The person standing in front of him and currently kicking off his shoes under the empty bed was so beautiful. His hair, his skin, his smile. He was mesmerized.  
  
Attempting to get up and introduce himself turned out to be a bad idea. He tripped over his own Bambi legs and flopped onto the floor like a horse being born.  
  
“Oops.” He said standing to his feet and straightening himself out.  
  
“Hi, I’m Louis,” said the brunette with the most beautiful smile Harry had ever seen.  
  
“Nice to meet you, Louis. I’m Harry. Harry Styles.”  
  
“Nice to meet you too Harry Harry Style," Louis said with a cheeky grin. So, are you like The Chosen One of the superheroes’? Do you have a nice scar somewhere for me to look at?”, Louis smirked.  
  
Harry looked at Louis, half lusting, half confused.  
  
“Ohhhhh, you mean like Harry Potter.” He said in his slow British drawl.  
  
“Yeah, that’s what I meant,” Louis replied, smiling at him and rolling his eyes a bit.  
  
Harry turned in on himself, feeling embarrassed and, out of shear terror of needing something to do, went to his desk and started unpacking a box. Niall walked in then, saving him from further embarrassment.  
  
“This is Niall, one of our suite mates” Harry said, walking over to Louis and giving him a firm pat on the back. When Louis stepped out of the way to allow Niall to shake his hand; Harry’s hand that had just been on Louis felt cold.  
  
“Do you guys want to go see if my roomie made it here?”  
  
“Sure,” Harry and Louis said at the same time.  
  
“Jinx! You owe me a Coke!” Louis shouted.  
  
“Damn!” Harry exclaimed and stomped his foot in fake frustration. “Alright, we’ll go out tonight and I’ll buy you one, yeah?”  
  
“Sounds good to me, Curly.” Louis said, reaching up and touching one of Harry’s curls that fell just over his shoulder.  
  
Harry smiled and put his hair in a bun while he watch Louis subconsciously adjust his fringe, making sure it was swept to the side, just-so.  
  
“I don’t think your roommate is here yet Niall. I’ve been here since you left and didn’t hear anything from your room, nor did anyone come in this way.”  
  
“Well, shit. Where is the guy?” He pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts. Peering down at the screen, he recited a name. “Zayn Malik.”  
  
“Oh my, he sounds mysterious. Maybe he’s meant to be a villain.” Louis shuddered, making himself slouch over and wiggle like someone telling a ghost story.  
  
Harry grinned wide. He could feel his dimples exposing his instant crush on his roommate. This was going to be a problem.  
  
Zayn did eventually arrive at the dorms, strolling in right before the three of them were about to go to dinner. Harry looked him up and down and thought, 'Who does this guy think he is?' Zayn was wearing something that looked like it came from the closet of The Clash. Harry snickered when Zayn tripped on Niall’s bag, causing him to drop his duffle and let out a loud “ooof”.  
  
“Hey, boys. Sorry about that. I’m Zayn.”  
  
Harry realized that maybe this guy wasn’t so bad. Did he just apologize for tripping on something that was actually in the way and shouldn’t have been there at all? That’s not usually how it worked. If it was him, Harry would have sworn, kicked the item out of the way and grabbed his foot. Zayn joined them for dinner. By the end of the night he and Louis were laughing and joking like they had known each other for years. Harry was jealous.  
  
Their friendship thrived freshman year and other than his oddly domestic and wonderfully pining relationship with Louis, Zayn was one of his best friends. Also, he was pretty sure Louis thought of Zayn as his best friend. Younger professors joked that Louis and Zayn were the Ambiguously Gay Duo from Saturday Night Live. Harry didn’t know whether to laugh or be offended and after watching some clips on YouTube, decided it was funny.  
  
“Do you have your superpower yet?” Louis asked one rainy afternoon while all four of them played video games.  
  
“If I do I don’t know about it. It’s never presented itself to me,” Zayn muttered.  
  
“Not me,” Niall chimed in.  
  
Harry stayed quiet.  
  
“I don’t have mine yet either. I’m kinda worried that whatever it is, it’s going to be bad… like, something that could be considered a villain superpower.”  
  
Louis had paused the game now and was looking at them, asking for reassurance with his eyes. It never came.  
  
“Whatever,” was all Zayn could muster. He unpaused the game and went back to attempting to win at in Fifa.  
  
The four roommates were becoming fast friends. Zayn and Louis had most of their classes together so they were basically inseparable. Niall and Harry would often study together at the library and all four of them would meet up for lunch on Wednesdays before Harry and Louis went to Laws and Loopholes class and Zayn and Naill headed to Target Practice. Life continued on like this until the start of Second Semester. Their schedules changed and somehow, with that, so did Zayn’s attitude.  
  
  
January 2016  
One day, while ditching class Zayn, swiped Louis’ last bit of weed and snuck into Louis’ lab hour.  
  
“Come on,” he coaxed as Harry peered at his textbook. “I’ve got Louis’ weeeed.”  
  
He held the small Altoid tin in front of Harry and waved it back and forth. Harry looked at his TA, a mix of Double O Seven’s Q and Mr’ Incredible’s Edna. The TA was mindlessly grading papers and that was good enough for him. He closed his book and followed Zayn out of lab, down the stairs and into a tucked away part of campus behind some trees. Zayn rolled the joint, took a puff and passed it to Harry. It was snowing lightly and they were huddled together for warmth.  
  
“We wouldn’t need to huddle for warmth if Louis were here,” Harry shivered.  
  
“That’s true. That kid is a hot box,” Zayn agreed and sucked in on the joint before passing it. “Man, we’re still freshman and I’m already done with this whole school thing.”  
  
“What do you mean?” Harry asked, blowing out a cloud of smoke from the corner of his mouth and rubbing his legs back and forth to keep warm.  
  
“I don’t know. I just…..I don’t want to be here. It doesn’t feel right or fun.” He reached out for the joint.  
  
“Come to that mixer/party thing the week before spring break. I want all four of us to go. It might be fun.”  
  
Zayn laughed and Harry laughed at him. He liked watching Zayn laugh. Zayn laughed with his whole body. His shoulders shrugged up and down as his perfect face scrunched up. “That’s March! Who’s thinking about March already!”  
  
“Me,” Harry laughed, taking the joint back from Zayn.  
  
“Nah man. I’m not going to that.”  
  
“Why not?” Harry took another puff.  
  
“I’ve got all the friends I need. No need to be fake polite to a bunch of people I won’t remember anyways. Plus, don’t we all have to go in our costumes? Nobody will know each other.”  
  
“Oh shit, that’s right. Well then I’m not going either,” Harry said, matter of fact.  
  
“Not done?” Zayn asked.  
  
“No. How am I supposed design my superhero costume when I don’t even know my super power.”  
  
“Maybe you’ll know by then”, Zayn assured him.  
  
“Yeah,” Harry replied. “Maybe.”  
  
He wasn’t convinced. He knew Louis and Zayn were close, way closer than the two of them but he liked this time with Zayn. Felt like a special thing only the two of them shared, which of course, was not ture but he didn’t care.  
  
Harry had noticed Zayn’s interest in school waning. Not like it was ever a strong interest in the first place but still, it made Harry worry a bit. Louis must have been feeling the same thing because he had confided in Harry one night, just before his eyelids got heavy. They had just eaten a ton of junk food and watched Newsies for the thirtieth time this semester.  
  
“Harry?” Louis asked, turning on his side to face Harry.  
  
“Hhhmmm,” Harry responded, face smushed into the pillow and brown curls scattered around him like a mane.  
  
“Do you think Zayn is going to be a villain? He doesn’t seem very interested in school anymore and all he wants to do is get high and play video games.”  
  
Harry pushed his hair away from his face, opened his eyes and gave Louis a small closed mouth smile.  
  
“Oh, Boobear,” Harry cooed.  
  
“I’m never telling you another thing about my childhood again.” Louis muttered, blushing with embarrassment.  
  
Harry laughed, “Are you worried your bestie is going to be evil?”  
  
“Yeah. Kind of.”  
  
Harry stopped laughing, threw back his covers and tiptoed into bed with Louis. Louis snuggled against his chest as Harry wrapped his arms around him.  
  
“Don’t worry. He’s not evil. He’s just not sure if he wants to be here. Sometimes people don’t want to be superheroes. I mean, think about it. Most of us had no idea we even had the capability to possess super powers and we were chosen to go to this school instead of becoming lawyers or teachers or something. We are going to have a pretty awesome life and sometimes that’s just not what people want. Weird as it may seem.”  
  
“Wow, listen to you. All philosophical and stuff right before bedtime.”  
  
“Maybe that’s my superpower.”  
  
Louis laughed into Harry t-shirt and his heat made Harry start to sweat but Harry just squeezed his arms tight around him.  
  
“You know I’m always going to be here for you, right?”  
  
“I know.” Louis replied.  
  
The next week Zayn dropped out.  
  
  
March 2016  
“What the fuck man” Harry growled at the guy who had just bumped into his arm and cause his drink to spill.  
  
“Oh, sorry. I must have missed you there. Allow me to buy you a drink?,” the crimson wearing man suggested.  
  
Harry noticed his eyes were almost as blue and beautiful as Louis’. Almost. It almost made him wish Louis had come to the superhero mixer with him. At least then they could be together while someone spilled drinks on them. Harry brushed those thoughts aside. Louis wasn’t here. He had decided to study instead of come to the mixer. The conversation came back to him.  
  
“Who needs a mixer?” Louis asked rhetorically. “I already have all the friends I need.”  
  
“Wow, for someone so outgoing you sure are an introvert.” Harry told him.  
  
Louis just looked at him, gave a smug smile and shrugged.  
  
“Sorry, Love. Not going.”  
  
“Fine, then you won’t get to see me in my awesome superhero costume. We’re talking cooler than Spiderman and Ironman together!”  
  
“As much as in pains me that I won’t see you in your ‘totally awesome’ costume,” Louis explained, air quoting totally awesome, “remember that we aren’t supposed to actually show anyone else our costume? We are still supposed to keep our identity, secret -that's the point of a secret identity- to keep it secret, even from those closest to us.”  
  
And that was that. He knew one of the reason Louis didn’t want to come. Even though Louis tried not to make it obvious, it often was, he missed Zayn. He was too proud to admit it but Harry knew. Harry also knew that if he didn’t try and make a friend soon he would be leaving this party much earlier than required to PROVE to Louis that the party was worth it. Harry looked down, he now had sticky alcohol on his totally awesome costume after standing awkwardly and alone for most of the mixer. Now someone was offering to buy him a drink. Someone with eyes almost as wonderful as Louis’. Might as well get a drink from him.  
  
“Hey man,” the guy bumped his arm. “Can I buy you a drink?”  
  
Harry removed himself from his haze and followed the Red-clad Bumper to the kitchen.  
  
“Here ya go, my specialty. Long Island Ice Tea. Cheers.” The man said, raising his glass and clinking it against the one he had handed to Harry. “What’s your name? Or, your superhero name, I guess.”  
  
“Um, I haven’t really decided yet. Still figuring out my power really. And how to use it I guess.”  
  
“Oh yeah, good idea. Don’t commit too soon.”  
  
“What about you? What’s your name?”  
  
“Real or superhero?”  
  
“You’d tell me your real name?” Harry asked.  
  
“No.” the guy smiled through his mask.  
  
“Okay,” Harry drawled. So……you’re superhero name then?”  
  
“Not sure yet either, toying around with Blaze.”  
  
The conversation continued and as the drinks flowed Harry loosened up, forgetting about how Louis had bailed on him to study. He watched as the man calling himself Blaze, maybe, leaned against the kitchen counter and crossed his ankles. Harry noticed that even though his entire body was covered in the first draft of a costume, obviously made in the Pattern Drafting studio, he was shorter than Harry but also quite built. His thighs were strong and muscled. His calves, toned and defined through the stretchy material. And of course, the bulge in front, just below his hips was nothing to scoff at either.  
  
The only problem was his mouth. Blaze wouldn’t stop talking and most of what he said was pompous or condescending. Not particularly a trait one looks for in a new friend but damn it, it didn’t matter. He needed to meet someone to show Louis the mixer was worth it. Even if it meant pretending that someone was a friend.  
  
“No no no,” Blaze said as he took a big swig of his third drink since entering the kitchen with Harry. “Time is a PROGRESSION.” He was using his hands a lot and Harry knew that if he could see Blaze’s face, beyond the eyes, he would see the expressions to match the hand gestures.  
  
“Progression occurs in a sequential order. Therefore time has to be linear!”  
  
“This is more of a philosophical discussion as opposed to a physical discussion-“  
  
Blaze interrupted. “Would you like to make this a physical discussion?” he joked.  
  
Harry finished his third drink, to keep up and gave a small chuckle. Damn him! This attitude was annoying and endearing at the same time. He needed to focus but the drinks were making him fuzzy.  
  
Harry mocked is new ‘friend’. “No no no, Einstein said that time and space are pliable. Either time doesn’t exist or is cyclical.”  
  
Blaze refilled both their cups and walked out of the kitchen while arguing back, Harry followed. Ok, he could play this game, a little Point, Drunk Counterpoint. Who did this guy think he was? What was so special about him? The cocky attitude was somehow annoying Harry and turning him on at the same time. Harry followed him down the hallway of the frat house if only to argue his points on why time was not linear and found himself alone in a bedroom with said annoying, cocky masked man.  
  
Blaze crowded against him causing Harry to hit the mattress of the bed at his knees and fall backwards onto it. He crawled on top of Harry and gave a smirk.  
  
“So, on to the physical discussion.”  
  
Harry’s nerves and inexperience got the best of him and he let out a loud laugh before clapping his hands over his mouth. He could admit he was turned on and he was pretty sure Blaze could feel it too. He reached for his pants button. Harry breathing hitched as he stared down at his new ‘friend’. Blaze must have felt Harry hold his breath because he had stopped what he was doing and looked up.  
  
“Is this ok?” he asked in a tone that was gentle and completely unlike the persona he had been putting on just minutes ago.  
  
All Harry could do was nod before Blaze went back to the task at hand. He slowly unzipped Harry’s pants and began to shimmy them down his legs.  
  
“You know, tight denim isn’t really a look a lot of superheroes go for.”  
  
“And what, head to toe red with a mask over ones eyes and nose is? Besides, I’m not sure I know what I want my costume to look like or even what color I want it to be yet. Black is a safe choice.”  
  
“It’s a villain's choice, ” Blaze replied.  
  
And then he was puling Harry’s boxer briefs down. It all felt so dirty and torrid. Harry’s feet were dangling off the bed, sneakers still on, pants and underwear pooled around his ankles. Blaze was to his left hip slowly kissing and sucking his way to Harry’s hard and throbbing dick. All Harry could do was watch. He craned his neck to get a better look and Blaze’s mouth as it licked up his shaft and wrapped around his head. Blaze continued to move his mouth up and down while Harry made muffled noises of satisfaction and assurance. Even though the music was blaring through the house he was too excited about what was happening and too nervous about the people throughout the party to make loud noises, for fear of being caught.  
  
“You taste so good.”  
  
Being polite had always been stressed as important in his family but in lieu of a ‘thank you’ all Harry could mutter was ‘fuck’ before he was coming, quick and hot down Blaze’s throat. Blaze pulled back slightly, appearing a little shocked but did not pull off and swallowed the rest of Harry’s climax. He sat up, wiped his mouth with his hand and gave a speedy ‘thanks’ before running out of the room.


	3. Sophomores

Nothing had happened over the summer. Well, nothing in terms of Harry finally realizing his super power. He was starting to think he wasn’t actually a super hero at all. Louis had promised to come visit him in England but then backed out right before he had to commit to plane tickets, giving some excuse of family responsibilities, blah blah blah. The things that did happen the summer before sophomore year included gleefully annoying his sister, getting his drivers license, drinking and trips to London with Liam, and a visit from Blaze, who said he would be in Europe and would love to meet up with Harry, in the dark of night, of course, for their usual secret little rendezvouses.  
  
Now Harry was back in picture perfect New England America, in the sophomore dorms waiting for Louis to arrive and help unpack their stuff that somehow he was forced to move by himself. He refused to give Louis the satisfaction of walking in to a completely made up dorm room without having to lift a finger. Harry would wait. And he would sleep to pass the time.  
  
  
September 2016  
Harry was practically asleep when it first happened. He had just received a rather wonderful blowjob from Blaze after Heros History class. So what if he pictured a certain butterscotch skinned roommate with soft hair and piercing blue eyes. Blaze’s eyes were a close second and they did seem to light up when looking at him. Now he was back in the dorm room and Louis wouldn’t be back until after his Combat workshop ended, which was still an hour away. He was totally relaxed.  
  
He knew Louis was still going through bouts of anger and sadness about his “partner in crime” leaving school, now almost a year ago. Because of this, Louis spent more and more time in combat training. Harry wasn’t complaining, Louis was already a beautiful thing to look at and all the added training was only enhancing his beauty.  
  
Harry was not quite dreaming yet but not quite awake. He was on the precipice of sleep, the step-off-the-curb-to-nothing-and-jolt phase, and then it happened. Suddenly he was swimming in his own bed. His eyes shot open and his arms splashed around. As soon as he fully realized he was surrounded by a bubble of water all around him, it popped.  
  
Relaxation annihilated. The pillow was dry, the mattress was dry, even his pink polka dot sheets Louis loved were dry. His hair was wet, like he had just stepped out of the shower and had yet to twist his hair into his towel.  
  
“My secret power is swimming?!” he asked to himself as he got up to grab a towel not yet fully sure of how swimming in a bubble of water was superhero worthy. At least now he could start working on a costume and a name that might make sense, among other things.  
  
He dried himself off as best he could before Louis made it in. He felt better knowing he finally had his super power. He knew Louis had his, Louis tried to be secretive about it but Harry always knew when he was running off to work on something superhero related. Harry didn’t know what it was, of course, that wasn’t allowed, but he knew it was something physical. It took its toll on Louis and Louis was working very hard to harness it and make it his. Now Harry had to do the same.  
  
  
March 2016  
Harry needed Blaze tonight. He needed to stop thinking about Louis. He had come back to their dorm from lecture and walked in to find Louis chatting it up with Liam. LIAM. After getting over the initial shock of seeing his hometown friend in America, he excitedly started to talk to Louis about all things Liam. Liam had planned on visiting over the summer but Harry didn’t realize he decided to arrive early…by a few months. Apparently England was shit without him. Now Liam and Louis were laughing and chatting as Harry tried inserting himself into the conversation.  
  
“Oh, I already know about that. Liam told me.”  
  
“Oh yeah, and you wiped out at the bottom of the hill right? Liam told me.”  
  
“Yeah, he said he had a crush on your sister for, like, ever!”  
  
The jealousy he felt at Liam and Louis already becoming friends in such a short time made him cross him arms in front of his chest and silently pout like a small child. The pain from clenching his jaw increased with every shared laugh and touch between the two of them. Suddenly he felt his pulse slow down to that of a snail and he knew his emotions were going to get the best of him. If he didn’t leave soon everything around him would be drenched with Harry’s power to soak things. He was determined to leave. He rose from his chair and planted his feet in a wide, Peter Pan like stance usually reserved for Louis.  
  
“Well, I gotta jet. Forgot I had a study date,” he said and turned to leave before either of them could ask any questions.  
  
The phone rang twice before a voice came on the line.  
  
“Hey Babe. Looking to meet up?” Blaze had asked.  
  
“Um, yes. But also, the reason for my call is that I just figured out my Superhero name and I wanted to share it with someone.”  
  
“Does that mean I have to stop calling you Babe?”  
  
“Not if you don’t want to,” Harry teased. Sometimes he couldn’t believe what a flirt he became around Blaze. It seemed unnatural given the fact that he had never seen Blaze outside of his costume and didn’t know what his real name was.  
  
“Alright, I’ll decide once I hear the name.”  
  
“Jet.” Harry stated.  
  
“Blaze repeated it. Harry liked how it sounded in his mouth.  
  
“Meet me at the library in an hour?”  
  
That was all Harry had to say. Blaze didn’t say anything, just hung up. Harry knew that was a yes.  
  
The night seemed to stretch out before him, like one of those moving sidewalks in an airport. There were always breaks in the walkway and then it would start back up again. Thats how this night felt to him. He was waiting for Blaze outside the library. It was dark out and the only lights around him were the library entrance behind him and the one street light on the sidewalk about 150 feet in front of him.  
  
Needless to say, it was hard to tell who was walking towards him until they got close enough to be lit by the harsh fluorescents of the library. The students flitting in and out, some in costume, some with friends, were an endless stream, just like a moving sidewalk. Every once in a while he would feel like he saw a Blaze-shaped silhouette coming towards their meeting point and he’d think his night was about to get better. There was a break in the sidewalk. It was now thirty minutes past their meeting time and even though Harry knew he should just leave (fuck it, if Blaze could blow him off then fine, he didn’t care either) he just couldn’t bring himself to do it.  
  
He needed something tonight. A blow job, a hand job, anything…. Well, not anything. He and Blaze never did anything more than ‘jobs’ In the second meeting after the mixer, way back during freshman year, Blaze had told him that sex was off the table. “Kind of waiting for the right person. Not just a friends with benefits situation. No offense.” None had been taken. In fact, Harry found it kind of endearing that this loud-mouthed, trash-talking sailor with an opinion about everything was actually waiting for - no - saving himself for someone special. Harry was happy to be the friend with benefits, even though he wasn’t really sure he would call Blaze a friend. He didn’t know anything about him aside from his mouth and his dick. They never saw each other not in costume, and Harry wasn’t sure he wanted to see the real him. Not knowing who Blaze was outside of his superhero persona was kinda hot. Like Harry could decide for himself who Blaze was out of costume. Sometimes he even imagined Blaze was Louis. The eyes weren’t too far off, although Blaze’s were a bit cloudy, not quite as wonderfully blue as Louis’ and he was a little taller than Louis but it didn’t matter, it was just part of the fantasy. Blaze arrived 10 minutes later and they held hands as they went into the library to find a place to have some fun.


	4. Juniors

Liam officially moved stateside and got a job at a fire station, part time and signed up for classes at the local community college. Harry was glad to have Liam around more and as equally happy that Liam fit in with his friends.  
  
That summer between Sophomore and Junior year felt like freshman year again except Zayn was now Liam. Should have been Liam all along Harry thought and immediately felt guilty for thinking it. How different would his college experience have been if Liam was around instead of Zayn? Harry might not have even met Blaze, forgoing the mixer because he had Liam by his side. He would never need to comfort Louis about his anger over Zayn leaving, never have to reassure Louis that he wouldn’t be a villain. Shit, who’s to say that he and Louis would even be as close. Well, that didn’t matter. They were close, probably closer than he was with Liam.  
  
  
September 2017  
Junior year had started just a simply as the previous two. Harry and Louis had decided to be roommates again but had decided to move out of the dorms. It was fine the first two years but it was time to move on. Niall had already secured his position of RA and declined their invitation to live with them so it was just the two of them.  
  
Harry continued to be domestic and Louis continued to be sloppy. It worked for them. Harry’s trysts with Blaze continued in secret. He hated that he was getting his needs met physically by a self-confident asshole with eyes and ass almost as good as Louis’ but it didn’t matter. He was emotionally happy being Louis’ best friend. They were soulmates. Harry knew it he was just waiting for Louis to catch up.  
  
“You don’t know,” Louis stated simply. “I still have a lot of anger from when Zayn left. Sometimes it just spills out of me and I can’t help it.”  
  
Harry walked over from where he was cooking dinner and sat on the couch behind Louis. He had tried to comfort this insecurity ever since the second half of freshman year. Harry placed his hands on Louis’ shoulders and began to rub them back and forth, kneading the knots within his muscles. He gave Louis a different version of the same speech over and over again. Louis was one of the sweetest people he knew. Evil doesn’t live in his heart. He’s going to figure out a way to use his power for good, etc., etc.  
  
Even though Harry and Louis had never discussed the specifics of their secret powers with each other, Harry knew Louis’ had some edge of danger. Sure Harry had considered what it might be, just like he was sure Louis had thought about his power. Maybe Louis could shapeshift, or he got stronger by making other people weaker….Harry wasn’t sure but he knew whatever it was, it could be used for good.  
  
Eventually Harry felt the muscles in Louis’ shoulders relax and began to get up to tend to dinner. Louis reached out and pulled on his jeans, stopping him from continuing.  
  
“Don’t stop.”  
  
“Dinner,” Harry protested.  
  
“Leave it.”  
  
Harry did as he was told and sat back down behind Louis. Louis sighed, closed his eyes, and leaned his head back to rest on Harry’s left thigh. Harry resisted the urge to brush the fringe from his lashes. The soft blue light from the TV was casting shapes and shadows off of Louis cheeks and collarbone, making Harry want to lick and kiss all the parts the light couldn’t touch. As if his mouth could kiss away the evil Louis was feeling.  
  
“What are you thinking about?” Louis asked.  
  
Harry could feel blood rushing to the area very close to Louis’ head. He tried to suppress the feeling with little luck and much effort.  
  
“Um,” he stumbled to think of an answer other than ‘your lips and mine intertwined’. “Dinner burning,” He said.  
  
“Let it burn. We can order in.”  
  
The air was heavy with innuendo and Harry thought he might give in to his urge to lean down and kiss Louis. Instead he stood abruptly and headed for his room, leaving Louis confused and half fallen off the couch.  
  
“I’ll order Chinese,” he hollered down the hallway before shutting the door and leaning back against it, letting out an exhale.  
  
His love for Louis as a friend and his desire for Louis as a lover were becoming more and more tangled within his own mind. It had been 2 years now and despite his best efforts to date, which never panned out because nobody was as wonderful as Louis or as annoying charming as Blaze, he couldn’t keep himself from wanting more from Louis. It was unfair. Harry knew it was unfair of him to expect something from his best friend of whom he had never expressed his feeling for. Usually the best thing to do when he was feeling this way was to take care of his want. He dialed and Blaze picked up on the third ring.  
  
“Thinking about me?” Blaze flirted through the phone.  
  
“Something like that,” Harry replied.  
  
“I was thinking about you too. What are you wearing?”  
  
“Um, not my costume,” Harry said, looking down at his Rolling Stones tee and black jeans.  
  
“Me neither. Actually, I’m taking all of my clothes off right now.”  
  
Harry let his thoughts move from Louis to the obviousness of Blaze’s motive. He reached down and rubbed his hand against his jeans. The bulge he was trying to suppress from earlier began to grow.  
In no time Harry was breathing hot and heavy into the receiver with Blaze panting sex into his ear.  
  
“Are you close Baby?” Blaze asked sincerely.  
  
Harry let out a tight moan.  
  
“Me too. God, you are so hot.“  
  
Two more jerks and Harry was coming all over his hand. He slid down the door and let his head fall back against the door, causing a knock.  
  
“Shit,” he whispered. He hoped Louis had moved from the living room into his bedroom. If not, he was sure he would hear Louis call out to him, making sure he was ok. Now how could THAT be evil. Louis didn’t call out.


	5. Seniors

January 2018  
Harry woke up with a pep in his step and a plan in his heart. It was time to tell Blaze that their relationship needed to stop. No more sneaking around or partial relationships. He wanted the whole thing. The hand holding, the kissing, the stupid fights about whose turn it was to do the dishes followed by makeup sex, he wanted it all…with Louis. Now all he needed to do was tell him and hope he felt the same.  
  
The phone rang four times and Harry was sure he was about to get voicemail when a smoky voice came on the phone.  
  
“Hello?”  
  
Ok, not Blaze’s usual greeting for Harry. Where was the ‘Hey Baby’ or the ‘Oh Babe, I was just thinking about you.’ There was always a ‘Babe’. Something must be wrong.  
  
“Blaze, Its Jet. Can we meet?”  
  
“Um, I’m not really in the mood for a roll in the hay right now.”  
  
“Oh, no no. Not for that, I mean, I realize that’s why you would think I was calling but I actually just want to meet up and talk.”  
  
Blaze sounded surprised. “Oh, ok. I’m in the combat studio.”  
  
When Harry arrived, as Jet, Blaze was sweaty and tense. He seemed irritated with everything around him and lonely at the same time. However, to his credit, he smiled in spite of this when Harry approached.  
  
“Jet, looking wonderful as always.”  
  
“Thank you,” Harry replied. “You look, um, great?”  
  
“It’s ok, I know I look like shit. I’m just trying to get certain aspects of my powers under control.”  
  
“How’s it going?” Harry asked as he surveyed the room.  
  
There was a shattered mirror on the far end of the studio with soot on some of the pieces of glass. A fake ficus in the corner of the room was on fire, like a camp fire after being doused with water, smoldering and burning like embers. Blaze’s own costume was a bit burned at the fingertips and along the neckline. Blaze saw Harry inspecting the room.  
  
“Oh, ya know. Ok.”  
  
“What’s up? Are you ok?”  
  
“Yeah, just dealing with some stuff. Better now that you are here.”  
  
That made Harry feel like shit. He had come to stop this friends with benefits nonsense. He loved Louis, he’s known it since freshman year and now it was time to do something about it. No more fooling around with Blaze, no more close calls with Louis. No, he was ready to end it with Blaze and start something with Louis. Only now, now Blaze was obviously going through something and he was about to add to the anguish.  
  
“Can I help at all?” He offered, feeling it was the least he could do before ending it.  
  
“Not unless you can put out fires,” Blaze chuckled.  
  
“Um ….actually….”  
  
Blaze looked at him stunned and relieved.  
  
“Ok, well… where to start. I’m working on some new stuff with my power, like, more precise stuff and controlling every little last bit of it.” He seemed frustrated that he couldn’t explain it properly. “Um, let me just show you.”  
  
Blaze stepped back and faced the shattered mirror. His arms were stretched out in front of him, elbows locked. Harry watched and he created fire, burning on his chest but not actually burning him. Blaze closed his eyes and bent his elbows, scooping at the fire on his chest. He pushed the fire into a ball in his hands and brought it up under his chin in what appeared to Harry to be a very Yoga-esque move. Then, in one sudden motion he pushed the fire ball out and it shot across the room to the broken mirror. It hit three pieces of glass, turning the one directly hit into sand immediately and the other two were left burning on either side.  
  
“See,” Blaze said, turning to Harry.  
  
“Yeah,” Harry said in amazement moving closer to the flames.  
  
“Jet, this is where you put out the fires.”  
  
“Oh, right right.”  
  
Harry relaxed his whole body and mind. He imagined his bubble of water around him and it appeared. Just like Blaze, Harry directed the water within his bubble towards the flames. The bubble popped, water whooshed to extinguish the flames and Harry was left wet under his costume. Blaze seemed genuinely impressed.  
  
“Wow, thanks.” Blaze said. “Now if I could only stop the collateral damage.” He pointed at the pieces that didn’t turn to sand. “So, what do you think, are we supposed to be partners or enemies?” He chuckled.  
  
Harry began to laugh and halfway through realized that might actually be how their lives end up. As enemies.  
  
“Um, Blaze. I have to talk to you.”  
  
“Ok, Jet. What is it?” Blaze asked, emphasizing Harry’s Superhero name.  
  
“Well, I kind of like someone. Actually, I kind of love someone and I think we need to stop.”  
  
“Oh, ok. Not at all what I thought you were going to say.”  
  
“What did you think I was going to say?” Harry asked.  
  
“Doesn’t matter now.” Blaze looked down at his singed fingertips. “Well, Jet, he’s a lucky guy. We had fun these last four years didn’t we? See ya around.”  
  
And with that Blaze walked out of the studio, leaving Harry alone and confused at how abruptly everything ended.  
  
  
February 28 2018  
Harry was drunk. And not like, been-out-with-friends-and-had-one-more-beer-than-I-should-have drunk. No no, he was sitting-at-home-alone-drinking-a-whole-bottle-of-merlot drunk. He didn’t care that there was a better way to deal with his feelings. Louis was dating. He had announced it, no, declared it to him and Niall at the bar earlier tonight.  
  
“Gentlemen, I have decided to start dating.”  
  
Niall looked up at him like he was an alien with three heads. “Haven’t you always been dating?”  
  
“Fair question, Niall but the answer is no, not really. I wasn’t really looking but now I’m ready. So, feel free to set me up.”  
  
“Well that’s bullshit because I’ve heard you on the phone talking hot and heavy with someone not that long ago,” Niall replied.  
  
Harry’s mouth fell open. This was all new information to him. Never once had Louis mentioned anything about seeing someone or talking with someone. He couldn’t believe how betrayed he felt by his best friend. He felt a sudden coldness in his core, which meant he would be surrounded by water soon and give away his superpower. He had to leave.  
  
“Old news, Niall.” He heard Louis say before pushing his way out of the bar.  
  
Now he was home, alone, drinking merlot and thinking about Louis making out with someone, going on dates with someone, someone that wasn’t him. Why, after four years did Louis suddenly decide he wanted to date. What had changed? Did he meet someone? Harry thought about releasing his power, letting water spill out of him like it would cleanse him of his love for his best friend. The only solution besides literally drowning in his own sorrow was to go out- or go running back to Blaze, with his tail between his legs and ask for “one last time”.  
  
Somehow that was worse than hooking up with a stranger. He sat up, determined to get it together and go out. He could tell he was fuzzy, the wine clouding his better judgement as well as his ability to stand upright. He called Liam.  
  
“Come out with me,” he demanded.  
  
“Weren’t you just at the bar with Niall and Louis?”  
  
“Yes, but I left,” Harry stated with a resolve he felt slipping.  
  
“Well, I’ve just arrived and I thought you would be here too.”  
  
“No I left.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“Just needed to get out of there- come out with me instead.”  
  
“No, I think you need to come back here and hang out with your three best friends.”  
  
Harry wasn’t sure why he agreed to go back to the bar. Maybe, deep down, he knew he needed to confront Louis about their relationship. Really, nothing in his plan from the first of the year should change just because of this information. He should still tell Louis how he felt. Maybe Louis didn’t like anyone specific. Maybe, when Harry confessed his feelings, Louis would too and they would live happily ever after.  
  
Wishful thinking. But, damn it. He made a promise to himself to tell Louis this year. Might as well be now. This wine was making him brave, or stupid. Both. When he finally made it back to the bar in his wine haze, he spotted Louis dancing closely between Liam and another guy. Someone he didn’t recognize. The straightened up, squared his shoulders and marched over to where they were. He yanked on Louis at the bicep, feeling the muscle tense underneath the shirt.  
  
“We need to talk,” he growled into Louis’ ear yanking him away from the others.  
  
“Hey, what’s the big idea?” Louis asked incredulously.  
  
Suddenly, Harry’s brazen attitude was replaced with the need to puke. He felt the color drain from his face. Louis must have noticed because he grabbed Harry, supporting his weight and hobbled to the bathroom.  
  
After successfully holding back his puke as Louis held back his hair, he sat up and mumbled something about wanting to go home. He was out of it. Mixing beer and wine in such a short period of time should never be something anyone attempts to accomplish. They must have made it home somehow because the next thing he remembered was Louis leaning over him whispering “Goodnight, Love” and giving him a kiss on his forehead. It made Harry’s heart ache.  
  
  
  
March 2018  
The next morning, Harry was sitting at the kitchen table feeling hungover and probably looking worse. Louis was in the kitchen, actually cooking. He knew it was bad. Louis looked as disheveled as the kitchen.  
  
“Making pancakes,” Louis shouted over his shoulder.  
  
Harry’s head hung down and he gripped it in his hands. “Great, can you do it a little quieter?”  
  
“Oh, poor Baby. Does your head hurt?” Louis mocked, like a mother calming her child crying over a skinned knee.  
  
“Um, just a bit,” Harry replied as Louis placed a glass of water and two Advil on the table next to him. The way Louis said ‘baby’ sounded oddly familiar but he couldn’t place it.  
  
Harry swallowed the pills and gulped the water. The coolness felt icy as the water slid down his throat, which stopped the burning sensation, so that was nice. Louis placed a plate of beige pancakes in front of him along with two strips of bacon. The pancakes were somehow overcooked and undercooked at the same time. A feat only Louis could accomplish. They looked like something that you would see in a science text book, showing the insides of a cell with blanks for you to label the picture. Maybe a mitochondria or a bit of rough endoplasmic reticulum.  
  
“So, Babe. What are your plans today?” Louis asked, sitting down in the cheap, mismatched chair across from him.  
  
There is was again. ‘Babe’. He recognized it. He looked up from his amoeba pancake and Louis was sipping his tea, focusing heavily on the cup. Slowly, Louis looked up, quizzical and frowning.  
  
“Something wrong?” He asked.  
  
Oh my God, Harry thought. Louis is Blaze! LOUIS IS BLAZE. He’s been Blaze this whole time. He was speechless. His eyelashes fluttered in shock. His heart was racing and he felt himself begin to sweat. Did Louis know? How could he not know? He must know. Harry stood swiftly and the chair fell back, hitting the tile floor with an alarming clank noise.  
  
“What’s wrong?” Louis repeated as Harry looked down the hall of the apartment, debating whether or not to take solace in his room. “Don’t jet off.”  
  
“What the fuck? Harry demanded. ”What the FUCK. You’re Blaze?!“  
  
Louis stood and began to walk towards Harry. Harry backed away. H fired off his thoughts in rapid succession.  
  
“You’re Blaze. This whole time? THE WHOLE TIME? Did you know it was me? Of course you knew it was me. How long? How long did you know it was me?”  
  
“Are you going to let me answer?” Louis asked as Harry hit the living room furniture and slouched into the couch.  
  
“I’m Blaze. I knew it was you the whole time. At first I knew that you didn’t know it was me. But then, then I figured you had figured it out. I mean, my costume doesn’t disguise me that much.”  
  
He was sitting next to Harry now.  
  
“Then, I figured, since you never confronted me about it; that you liked it. Thought of it as roleplay and it was part of our ‘thing’.”  
  
He reached out his hand and placed it on Harry’s knee. Harry stared at it while Louis continued to talk.  
  
“When we showed each other our powers I figured, this is it. We’re it. Time to remove the masks so to speak. But then, then you told me you loved someone. Someone else. And I was hurt and angry, and you know how I can be about that emotion. So, I figured instead of focusing on the anger, why not try to move on. See what it’s like with other people. You are literally the only person I have ever done more than kiss and since you were in love with someone else I figured I might as well be too.”  
  
Harry looked up now, his eyes were shining, a futile attempt to hold back tears.  
  
“Why didn’t you ever say anything?”  
  
The first tear fell down his cheek and before he could wipe it away, Louis’ hand was there, his thumb brushing it dry. He looked back down at his knee.  
  
“Because I’m an idiot. I’m so in love with you and I don’t know why I ever thought it would be a good idea to masquerade around in our costumes, fooling around and not just telling you how I felt. I’ve almost, almost regretted it from the start. But I was never sure how you felt about me in the beginning. There was a lot of me and Zayn and then when he left there was a lot of me and anger and,” he paused, taking a huge sigh, “I don’t know. I should have told you. I should have. Long ago. Last night, when you came back to the bar, drunk on wine and ready to rumble, I realized you didn’t know I was Blaze. I thought about it all night and knew I had to say something this morning.”  
  
Harry face was streaked with tear stains. He looked up and Louis and smiled.  
  
“I’m so in love with you too. You’re such a shit! I can’t believe you knew this whole time. I kept comparing him to you. His eyes were never as blue as yours, his ass was never as nice as -”  
  
“His ass, huh?” Louis chuckled, leaning into Harry, laying his head on his shoulder .  
  
“Shut up,” Harry smiled and lifted Louis’ face up to his own.  
  
“Now, kiss me you fool.”

**Author's Note:**

> [fic post](https://jovialchildalpaca.tumblr.com/post/172668011924/my-fics) :)


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